Jimmy Hart On Discovering AJ Styles

Jimmy Hart was recently a guest on the “Wrestling With History” podcast. During the appearance, he discussed discovering A.J. Styles and whether he thinks that AEW can be true competition for the WWE. Here are the highlights:

On If He Thinks AEW Can Compete With WWE:

I’m not Kreskin, I can’t predict anything… Everything is about production. Kevin Dunn works magic with the WWE (television product). He can take 10,000 people and make it look like 20,000. A lot of promotions will take 10,000 people and make it look like 100. A lot of people have tried to knock WWE off but they haven’t done it yet. TNA tried but couldn’t do it; WCW did it and then finally had to throw the towel in. There is so much great talent all over the world…one good thing (about AEW) is that it gives everyone a chance to work.

On How He Came Across A.J. Styles:

When WCW broke up, we started a company called the XWF. We shot it out of Universal Studios. Sable was the GM, Roddy Piper was the (commissioner), we had the Road Warriors, the Nasty Boys, Curt Henning, Hulk Hogan…but one of the talents that I found years before that (and wanted to bring in) was a guy named AJ Styles. We had him at 8 of our tapings because I thought this guy was unbelievable. I’m just happy to see him finally get with the WWE so the whole world can see what he can really do.